GOP PRIMARY HAS ITS ROOTS IN RIVALRY

LEE FOSTER and DAN HAAR; Courant Staff WritersTHE HARTFORD COURANT

An upcoming Republican primary in the 9th House District may look like a head-to-head battle between Theunis "Terry" Werkhoven of Manchester and Richard Veltri of East Hartford. But in a larger sense, the campaign can be viewed as another event in a long-running rivalry between the two towns.

Veltri, the endorsed candidate, and Werkhoven, the challenger, are both moderate Republicans with many years of experience in town government.

The towns, which also share similarities, have long competed in much the same way as two siblings in a family. Indeed, Manchester was part of East Hartford until it incorporated in 1823.

Each town has about 50,000 people, and each is basically an old Yankee town that became a suburb and, lately, a small city with some of the problems found in any urban area.

Manchester and East Hartford have squared off in at least one zoning matter, a development off Burnham Street, where a lawsuit is pending, as well as in high school sports, the bid for state and federal grants, economic development and, as in this case, political prestige.

There is no clear winner. For example, Manchester has the mall, East Hartford has the candidate for governor.

It comes as little surprise, then, that the choices of the two towns' respective GOP committees would find themselves in a primary scheduled for Sept. 13.

"It's definitely each town committee against each town committee, East Hartford against Manchester," said Michael Walsh, the East Hartford GOP chairman. "I would call it the friendliest in a long line of friendly competitions."

Manchester GOP officials downplay the role of competition between the towns in the primary.

Manchester Town Chairman Clifton Thompson believes the man who campaigns the hardest will win the primary, no matter what town he is from.

"Certainly, East Hartford wanted their person and Manchester wanted theirs, but I think it will come down to campaigning, and Terry campaigns well," Thompson said.

"I wouldn't call it a town rivalry at all," said John Garside, who led the Manchester town committee's candidate selection team. "I think it's between the two candidates and I think Terry's going to do it."

Veltri and Werkhoven may have no gripe with one another -- and in fact each has said the campaign will be free of personal attacks -- but Veltri's endorsement came about amid a last- minute shake-up, which the Manchester contingent called unfair.

Ron Osella of Manchester, a Werkhoven backer, was to be chairman of the district convention July 20. East Hartford Republicans, however, pointed out that under state party rules he was ineligible for that honor because he was an alternate delegate and not a regular delegate. David Holmes, an East Hartford delegate, was named chairman.

Veltri won the two East Hartford votes, and Werkhoven won the two from Manchester. The two Glastonbury delegates split, with Craig Fontaine backing Veltri. Holmes cast the tie-breaking vote that gave Veltri the endorsement.

"Certainly, either guy is going to represent the whole district," Walsh said. "It's going to be Glastonbury who is going to put either candidate on top."

Republicans, outnumbered by Democrats in each town, have more than symbolic power at stake. The 9th House District has voted Republican lately, giving the former incumbent, Paul R. Munns, R-Manchester, a strong base of support. Munns is seeking a state Senate seat.

The segment of East Hartford included in the district has only 4,868 voters, including 850 registered Republicans, to put up against Manchester's 5,747 total voters and 1,691 Republicans. Glastonbury has 3,809 9th District voters, with 1,121 of them Republicans.

Veltri, 58, is a semi-retired research scientist who served on the East Hartford school board for 14 years before being elected to the town council for three consecutive terms. This is his first try for statewide office.

Werkhoven, 71, a retired Pratt & Whitney engineer, has been a member of the board of directors since 1988, serving as mayor and board chairman in 1990-91. He served as an appointed member of the town building committee for 20 years.